Ventilators



Jan. 25, 1966 J. OHEA ETAL 3,230,859

VENTILATORS Filed Dec. 16, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 "NE J I 11b 14 33" 77c 24 11b FIG./. 25 77\ 27 77 24 ma 77a A 24 13b 14 13b FIG. 4.

Jan. 25, 1966 J. O'HEA ETAL VENTILAIORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 Jan. 25, 1966 J. OHEA ETAL 3,230,859

VENTILATORS Filed Dec. 16, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent F 3,230,859 VENTILATORS Jerome OHea, Copse Hill, Beare Green, near Dorking, Kenneth Douglas Rampley, Knaphill, Wokiug, and Brian Michael Cowtan, Ashford, England, assignors to Colt Ventilation and Heating Limited Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 330,896 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 18, 1962, 47,843/62 Claims. (Cl. 98-42) This invention concerns ventilators and relates more particularly to ventilators for ventilating the roofs of buildings or similar structures. The present invention relates to ventilators of the type comprising a cover member disposed above, and spaced from, an opening (e.g. in a roof) to be ventilated to form one or more side openings between the upper edge of the roof opening and the edges of the cover member, a bafiie overlapping the, or each, side opening and end plates between which the bafile and cover member extend.

According to this invention the cover member is hinged for movement from a position to weather the roof opening (the weathered position) to a position at which said opening is substantially fully open (the fully-open position) and the cover member is urged to said fully-open position, fire-detector means being provided normally to prevent movement to the fully-open position, the arrangement being that the existence of a fire brings said means into service whereby the cover member is automatically moved to the fully-open position.

By the weathered position of the closure member is meant a position of the member (closed or partly closed) at which ventilation through the ventilator is permitted while rain and similar elements are completely or mainly excluded.

The fire-detector means may be a temperature-sensitive device, a light-sensitive device, a smoke-detecting device, a device responsive to heat radiation, a device responsive'to rate of change of temperature, a sound-responsive device or any other known or convenient device which will rapidly respond to a fire characteristic (temperature and so on).

The detector means preferably comprises a fusible element which constitutes a part of a linkage or other mechanism for holding the cover member in the weathered position. A mechanism may be provided to adjust the cover member independently of the operation by the fire detector. Thus, by way of example, the mechanism may be pneumatically actuated or it may be actuated thermostatically or manually and in any event the cover member may be operated by cable, screw-rod gearing, by cord or chains or in any other convenient manner.

The cover member is preferably spring-urged to the fully-open position from its weathered position or from an intermediate position as specified in the preceding paragraph. Alternatively oradditionally the cover member may be urged to the fully-open position by weights.

The cover member may comprise a pair of plate-like elements or flaps which are independently hinged to the ventilator assembly. Each cover flap is independently urged to its fully-open position and is normally restrained against such movement by the detector means, which may be common to both flaps. The flaps are either independently operated by a linkage or mechanism as set forth above or both flaps are'operated by a common linkage or mechanism. In the former arrangement it may be arranged that the flaps are interconnected for cooperative movement.

According to a feature of this invention, for the side opening (or each side opening) and inwardly of the baflle, there is a closure plate which is hingeably movable Patented Jan. .25, 1966 from a closed position in which it extends between the upper edge of the roof opening and the cover member to an open position extending across the side opening towards the bafile. In a preferred arrangement the closure plate is hinged about the centre thereof and is pivotally movable from a substantially vertical closed position to a substantially horizontal position. In the latter position the closure plate lies partly beneath the cover member and extends towards the bafile.

The closure plate, or each plate, may be actuated mechanically, pneumatically or manually as described above and it is preferred either that a common actuating linkage or mechanism be provided or that each plate is independently actuated in which event the plates may be interconnected for co-operative movement. The plateactuating mechanism may be independent of the closuremember actuating mechanism or the mechanisms may be interconnected. In any event it is preferred that when the cover member is urged to its fully-open position the closure plate, or plates, is, or are, moved to their vertical position so that the roof opening is given an uninterrupted opening to the sky.

Instead of a closure plate for the, or each, side opening the roof opening itself may be provided with a closure plate (e.g. hinged about the centre thereof) the roof-opening closure plate being actuated as described with respect to the closure plate for a side opening. It is preferred that a pair of side-by-side closure plates be provided for the roof opening, these pair of plates corresponding with the side-opening closure plates and being arranged to be fully open when the cover member is urged to its fully-open position.

Practical applications of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings whereof:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a ventilator according to this invention,

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 are cross-sectional views of the ventilator of FIG. 1 showing different operating conditions,

FIG. 5 is partly an end view and partly a sectional view of a ventilator according to this invention,

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of part of a control mechanism for the ventilator,

FIG-7 is a front view of a fire-detector device whic forms a part of the mechanism of FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a pneumatic control circuit forming a part of this invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4: the ventilator comprises a box-like member 10 formed by four channels disposed in opposite pairs 11a and 11b. The channels of each pair have their webs vertical and parallel to each other and with their flanges 13a, 13b horizontal and directed outwardly in opposite directions. The pair of webs are spaced apart to provide two opposite walls of a rectangular throat 14 defined with the other pair of channels. Two end plates 15 are provided.

A cover member 16 comprising two hinged plates or flaps 17 is disposed between the end plates 15 which serve as support means. The cover plates 17 are disposed above and weather the throat 14. The cover plates 17 are hinged, at 18, along their lower edges to a hinge pin or bar 19 (see FIG. 5) the hinge being spaced from and substantially vertically above the outer edge of the upper flanges 13a of the channels 11a as to form vertical side openings 20 communicating with the throat.

The cover plates 17 extend towards each other from pivots 18, 19 and upwardly to the centre of the ventilator so that when closed the cover plates have the outline of a ridged roof (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The central edges 3 21 overlie a gutter or channel member 22 which extends between end plates (FIG. 1).

A substantially vertical baflle 23 is disposed outwardly of each of the side openings and each b-afile 23 is spaced from the hinged edges 13 of the cover member and from the edge of the upper flange 13a of the adjacent channel 110:, the lower edge 24 of the baflle being disposed in a plane lower than the said edge of the upper flange 13a and the upper edge 25 of the bafile being disposed in a plane higher than the ihinged edge 18 of the cover plate. The bafiles 23 also extend between and abut the two end plates 15.

The cover plates 17 are each urged by a spring 26 ('FIG. 5) to a substantially vertical fully-open position (as shown in FIG. 4) at which the roof-opening or throat 14 is fully exposed to the sky. A cord 27 extends from each plate to a common, two-part fusible link 28 which is connected to a linkage or mechanism for testing or adjusting the cover elementsas more fully described hereinafter. When the ambient temperature within the ventilator exceeds a certain preselected value, the fusible link melts and is broken so that the cover plates 17 automatically spring to the fully-open position.

For each side opening 20 there is a closure plate 29 pivoted at 30 and urged by a spring 31 (FIG. 5) to a position to close opening 20. A pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly 32 is connected between a cross frame member 33 (extending bet-ween channels 11a and secured thereto-see FIG. 1) and each plate 29. When compressed air is supplied to assembly 32 the plate 29 is moved towards the open position (FIG. 3) against the action of spring 31. Assemblies 32 are interconnected for simultaneous actuation as later described.

When plate 29 is moved to an open position hot air and gases can escape from throat 14 through opening 20 to between baffle 23 and cover plate 17 and around the lower edge 24 of the bafile.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7: each assembly 32 is connected by a pipe 73 to a T-piece 34 so that the assemblies are interconnected. The T-piece 34 is connected by a pipe 35 to a fire-detector device 36 which in turn is connected by a pipe 37 to a source of compressed air. A valve (eg. manually actuated) has one position in which it enables compressed air to be delivered simultaneously to the assemblies 32 to open the closure plates 29 and another position in which air is allowed to escape to atmosphere from assemblies 32 so that the plates 29 are closed by the springs 31. The valve may alternatively be actuated pneumatically or electrically. With the arrangement described the closure plates either close openings 20 (as shown in FIG. 2) or are fully open (as shown in FIG. 3). However, with a suitable valve it may be arranged that the closure plates are adjustable to any selected position between fully open and fully closed.

The cover plates 17 are adjusted from their closed position (FIGS. 2 and 3) to an open position as shown in FIG. 4 in the event of a fire. It is provided furthermore that the closure plates 29 are closed when the cover plates 17 are so opened.

Consider now that a fire has broken out. At a predetermined temperature fusible link 28 breaks so that cover plates 17 are opened by springs 26. The tire heat is also applied to device 36'. The latter comprises a body 48 and a plate 49 soldered thereto (at 50). T he solder is selected to melt at a specified temperature whereupon the plate 49 disengages the body. A passageway 51 extends through body 48 and receives a pin 52 supporting a ball valve 53 which can engage a sealing ring 54 as later described. Normally the pin abuts plate 49 and thereby ball 53 is held above ring 54. Compressed air is supplied to body 48 by pipe 37. It is arranged that plate 49 separates frombody 48 at about the same time that link 28 fuses and breaks. The body 48 is mounted vertically so that plate 49 falls away from the body and pin 52 drops whereby ball 53 closes upon ring 54. The air supply from pipe 37 is therefore shut off. Consequently compressed air from the source of supply is not lost to atmosphere and is available for other uses e.g. with other ventilators supplied from the common source of supply. When plate 49 falls away from body 43 pipe 35 is connected to atmosphere through passageway 51. As a result compressed air escapes from assemblies 32 and consequently closure plates 29 are moved to close openings 20. It follows that when a fire is detected plates 29 close and plates 17 open to give an unrestricted ventilation throughway going straight up to atmosphere (see FIG. 4). It is to be noted that the springs which adjust plates 17, 29 are behind plates 17, 29 and protected thereby from the hot gases passing through the ventilator from the fire. It is thereby ensured that the plates 17, 29 are held in full venting position.

Because plates 29 are moved to close by springs 20 when a fire is detected it is ensured that the hot gases from the fire cannot be deflected downwardly on to the roof by plates 29see FIG. 3. The opening springs 26, 31 pull the plates 17, 29 away from the ventilation opening through which the fire gases pass so that the opening cannot readily become blocked by the plates if the latter become disengaged due to the heat of the fire.

The valve described for actuating the closure and cover plates may be over-ridden in any known or convenient manner. Thus, it may be arranged that the cover plates 17 of a group of ventilators are opened in the event of a fire or for test purposes from a single remote valve e.g. under control of a fireman.

The cover plates 17 may be manually adjustable by pneumatic means to a fully open or to a Weathered position in which case it is arranged that when plates 17 are fully open closure plates 29 close openings 20. This represents an extension of the ventilation obtained by adjustment of plates 29 to give maximum ventilation.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an arrangement in which the cover plates 17 are opened pneumatically and the closure plates 29 and cover plates 17 are interconnected so that the plates 29 close openings 20 when plates 17 are fully openthe position of FIG. 4.

The plates 29 are opened by assemblies 32 as already described. Assemblies 32 are supplied with compressed air from any convenient source 46 through valves 38, 39. Valve 38 is manually actuated by knob 41. Compressed air passes from source 40 and pipes 47, 37 to assemblies 32 thereby to open plates 29 or air is allowed to escape from assemblies 32 (so that plates 29 are closed by springs 31) by pipes 37, 47 and exhaust pipe 42, the valve 38 being suitably adjusted to select the required function.

The cover plates 17 are each urged to the closed position by a strong spring which is connected, at one end, by a fusible link 61 to a cover plate and is anchored, at the other end, to the frame of the ventilator. The cover plate is urged to open by a relatively weak spring 62. A pneumatic piston and cylinder assembly 63 is connected to the cover plate, the piston rod 64 having a forked member 65 which engages a pin 66 carried by the plate the pin resting loosely in the fork. The pin 66 is held within member 65 by spring 60. The arrangement is that the plate is urged to the closed or weathered position by spring 60 acting against spring 62. Assembly 63 when supplied with compressed air from source 40 will open the cover plate. When assembly 63 is connected to atmosphere the cover plate is closed by spring 60.

Compressed air is supplied to assemblies 63 from source 40 through valve 43 and pipe 46. Valve 43 is manually actuated. When valve 43 is opened assemblies 63 are supplied with compressed air to open cover plates 17. At the same time compressed air is applied to valve 39 to adjust the latter so that air is allowed to escape from assemblies .32, pipe 37, valve 39 and exhaust pipe 67 to atmosphere. Consequently when plates 17 are opened plates 29 are closed.

, Adjustment of valve 43 to connect pipe 46 to atmosphere through pipe 45 permits escape of air from assemblies 63 so that plates 17 are closed. At the same time valve 39 is re-set to connect pipes 37, 47 so that plates 29 are under control of valve 38.

In the event of a fire the detector means 36 fuses whereby plates 29 are closed as above described. At the same time links 61 will fuse and plates 17 are opened by springs 62.

The cover plates 17 may be urged to open by weights instead of by spring means.

We claim:

1. A roof ventilator comprising a rigid framework to mount on a roof, said framework including side walls defining a main ventilator throat and support means extending upwardly from said walls, at least one cover means hingedly mounted from said support means and spaced above said throat for movement between a closed position shielding said throat and an open position not shielding said throat, said walls and said cover means defining there-between at least one side opening, baffle means supported on said framework and spaced laterally of said side opening away from said throat to shield said side opening, closure means for said side opening hingedly mounted from said support means for movement between a closed position closing said side opening and an open position opening said side opening, and means connected to said cover and closure means and automatically operable responsive to a fire condition to move said cover means to open position and said closure means to closed position.

2. A ventilator according to claim 1 wherein said side closure means and said cover means in respectively closed and open positions co-operate with each other and with said framework walls to present an open passageway extending upward-s from said throat.

3. A ventilator according to claim 1 wherein a first spring means tends to urge said cover means to said open position, a second spring means tends to urge said side closure means to said closed position, manually controllable means is operable to move said side closure means against the action of said second spring means to said open position, and fire detector means in response to fire renders said first spring means operative to move said cover means to said open position and over-rides said manually controllable means to render said second spring means operative to move said side closure means to said closed position.

4. A ventilator according to claim 3 wherein said side closure means and said cover means in respectively closed and open positions co-operate with each other and with said framework walls to present an open passageway extending upwards from said throat, and said first and second spring means are located in the region between said bafile means and the co-operating side closure means and cover means in respectively closed and open positions.

5. A roof ventilator comprising a rigid framework to mount on a roof, said framework including two pairs of opposed side walls defining a main ventilator throat substantially rectangular in plan and support plates extending upwardly from one pair of said side walls, cover means comprising a pair of cover plates hingedly mounted between said support plates one spaced above each of the other pair of side walls of said throat for movement between a closed position in which such cover plates co-operate to shield said throat and an open position not shielding said throat, there being defined between each cover plate and the respective side wall of said throat a side opening, baflle means supported on said framework and spaced laterally of each such side opening away from said throat to shield such side opening, closure means for such side openings comprising a pair of lateral closure plates hingedly mounted between said support plates one above each of said other pair of side walls for movement between a closed position closing the respective side opening and an open position opening such side opening, and means connected to said cover and closure plates and automatically operable responsive to a fire condition to move said cover plates to open position and said closure plates to closed position to present an open passageway extending upwards from said throat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,733,918 2/1956 Fischer 268-66 2,766,859 10/1956 Urquhart 98-421 WILLIAM F. ODEA, Acting Primary Examiner.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Examiner. 

1. A ROOF VENTILATOR COMPRISING A RIGID FRAMEWORK TO MOUNT ON A ROOF, SAID FRAMEWORK INCLUDING SIDE WALLS DEFINING A MAIN VENTILATOR THROAT AND SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID WALLS, AT LEAST ONE COVER MEANS HINGEDLY MOUNTED FROM SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SPACED ABOVE SAID THROAT FROM MOVEMENT BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION SHIELDING SAID THROAT AND AN OPEN POSITION NOT SHIELDING SAID THROAT, SAID WALLS AND SAID COVER MEANS DEFINING THERE-BETWEEN AT LEAST ONE SIDE OPENING, BAFFLE MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAMEWORK AND SPACED LATERALLY OF SAID SIDE OPENING AWAY FROM SAID THROAT TO SHIELD SAID SIDE OPENING, CLOSURE MEANS FOR SAID SIDE OPENING HINGEDLY MOUNTED FROM SAID SUPPLY MEANS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION CLOSING SAID SIDE OPENING AND AN OPEN POSITION OPENING SAID SIDE OPENING, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID COVER AND CLOSURE MEANS AND AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE RESPONSIVE TO A FIRE CONDITION TO MOVE SAID COVER MEANS TO OPEN POSITION AND SAID CLOSURE MEANS TO CLOSED POSITION. 